Davis was 1-1 with a 7.07 ERA in 16 games. He was placed on the disabled list on May 13, but he thought he was going to need surgery soon after.

He was roughed up in his final few outings after looking pretty good early. Davis compiled 24 strikeouts and 11 walks over 14 innings, and at one point his strikeouts-to-innings ratio was among National League’s best.

He was used mainly in the sixth and seventh innings. The elbow bothered him during routine tasks such as eating and stowing his luggage on an airplane.

His loss opens up a spot for a younger homegrown prospect such as Mark Corey, who is currently pitching when the Mets trail in games. Grant Roberts will inherit more of Davis’ role if he can return healthy. Roberts is currently on the DL with a right rotator-cuff strain.

“We’re anxious to get Grant back. He’s still several days away,” Phillips said.

Roberts came away from his bullpen session on Sunday feeling better than he did during Friday’s initial outing. He played catch yesterday and is scheduled to throw again today or tomorrow.

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Mo Vaughn took early “close range” batting practice with manager Bobby Valentine throwing. Valentine threw from closer to home plate than usual, which is one of Vaughn’s favorite drills.

“At that distance, you’ve got to do a lot of things right,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn went out and went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in the Mets’ 3-2 loss.

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Former Met bench player Matt Franco, now with the Braves, made inflammatory comments about beating in his old team’s brains. Franco claimed yesterday, “I didn’t say it the way it came out.”